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Updated: June 7, 2025
A halt was ordered, and inquiries made if anybody knew the road. We had lost our way. The Indians had no knowledge of that part of the country, nor had any of the soldiers. I detected a gleam of intelligence in the countenance of Ithulpo, which made me suspect that he could give the desired information if he chose; but when asked, he denied all knowledge of the way.
I was in hopes, indeed, that Ithulpo, whose horse was strong, and who I suspected knew the country better than he pretended to the Spaniards, would have found some means of escaping, and of aiding his countrymen. We had, in truth, still too much to do in attempting to preserve our own lives, to allow us to think much of others. It would be assuming to be above humanity, did I not confess this.
I could not withstand the despairing look the poor wretch cast on us as he thought we were about to pass him and to leave him to his fate; so throwing myself from my horse, I lifted his head from the ground. My father stopped also, and so did Ithulpo. "On, on!" shouted the rear-guard of the Spaniards. "On, or we will fire at you." "We will follow immediately," replied my father.
When I retired to my room for the night, not a little tired with my exertion, Ithulpo made his appearance. "How long, Senor, may I ask, does your father purpose remaining here?" "Some short time; a week or two perhaps," I replied, rather surprised at his question.
We had proceeded two days' journey, when, at the urgent request of Ithulpo, we turned aside to rest at a town among the mountains. "It is inhabited chiefly by my people," he observed. "To-morrow they perform a ceremony, at which I wish to assist, and which you will like to behold."
As he said this he set to work to release the Indians, in which we were directly joined by Ithulpo; the rear-guard, as they passed by, bestowing many curses and threats of vengeance on our heads for our interference; but they were too anxious to save their own lives to prevent us. Scarcely a minute was lost. "Mount! mount! and ride on!" cried Ithulpo.
"I dare say I shall now soon get well; but can you tell me anything of my parents and my brothers and sisters? Is Ithulpo with you?" "I can give you no tidings of them," he replied, turning away his head. "Ithulpo has not come back to us, and I know not where he is." "My poor father and mother! they will think I have been killed," I ejaculated. "It will make them grieve very much."
We were quickly inside the gates, and lost not a moment in calling the servants together, and in bolting and barring all the doors, and in putting up shutters to the windows. We found Ithulpo in the house. He said he had been ordered by his chief to remain with as till we were in safety.
However I observed the following day, either from some information he had received, or from something Ithulpo had said to him, that he had begun to think more seriously of the matter, and he desired me to make preparations for our departure. While strolling out in the afternoon, I happened to pass the abode of Mama Rosa, the black queen of the Mandingoes.
We passed, as we rode along, several bodies of horses and men; and as we approached the trees, Ithulpo shouting with all his might, several condors rose slowly on the wing, and a huge tiger stalked slowly away, looking round every now and then at us with an angry glance, for having disturbed him at his repast.
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